Football: Tomball hopes to keep dream going

Published 3:53 pm, Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Tomball junior running back Xavier Powell (24) and the Cougars will try to break away from Angleton in the second round of the 2012 playoffs at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, at Turner Stadium in Humble.

Tomball junior running back Xavier Powell (24) and the Cougars will try to break away from Angleton in the second round of the 2012 playoffs at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, at Turner Stadium in Humble.

Photo: L. Scott Hainline

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Tomball senior quarterback Drew Reynolds (7), senior running back Dmitri Scott (24), senior lineman Tyler Hodge (66) and the rest of the Cougars meet Angleton in the second round of the playoffs Friday at Turner Stadium in Humble. less

Tomball senior quarterback Drew Reynolds (7), senior running back Dmitri Scott (24), senior lineman Tyler Hodge (66) and the rest of the Cougars meet Angleton in the second round of the playoffs Friday at ... more

Photo: L. Scott Hainline

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Tomball senior quarterback Drew Reynolds and the Cougars meet Angleton in the second round of the 2012 playoffs at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, at Turner Stadium in Humble.

Tomball senior quarterback Drew Reynolds and the Cougars meet Angleton in the second round of the 2012 playoffs at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 23, at Turner Stadium in Humble.

Photo: L. Scott Hainline

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Tomball football head coach Danny Ramsey liked what he saw in a 47-14 playoff-opening win against HISD Reagan on 11-15-12.

Tomball football head coach Danny Ramsey liked what he saw in a 47-14 playoff-opening win against HISD Reagan on 11-15-12.

Photo: L. Scott Hainline

Football: Tomball hopes to keep dream going

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Tomball football coach Danny Ramsey and the Cougars have an early-morning practice on Thanksgiving Day, and that's not a problem for the coaches or players.

"The turkey always tastes a little better after a workout because it's good to still be playing at this time of the year," said Ramsey, who is in his first season at Tomball (6-5) and faces Angleton (9-2) in this week's Class 4A Region III Division I area playoffs.

"I was extremely pleased with our defense against Reagan a week ago," Ramsey said. "We haven't really had to face someone with that many weapons, and a great effort in practice all week long really carried over into the game, and that's a credit to our players and coaches."

The Cougars blanked Reagan 24-0 in the first half, and Tomball gave up 127 total yards (including negative 51 rushing) and 11 first downs on the night.

Junior linebacker Tristan Born had 10 tackles and two sacks for Tomball in what Ramsey described as "great individual performance inside a great total team effort."

Playoff savvy Angleton has won five straight over Brazosport 56-20, Bay City 40-7, Foster 57-21, Terry 31-6 and Friendswood, and the Wildcats' 4-2 start included wins against Montgomery 28-18, Brazoswood 69-28, Nederland 39-31 and Lamar Consolidated 40-10, and losses to Alief Taylor 8-7 and most recently George Ranch 24-21 (Oct. 12).

"Angleton has tremendous poise and discipline on offense, and what they do well, they do very well," Ramsey said, "and defensively, they have more tremendous talent with speed all over the field."

Tomball has won two straight against Tomball Memorial 49-6 and Reagan, and six of its last seven including victories over Northbrook 52-6, Willowridge 52-47, Spring Woods 56-0 and Ridge Point 52-42.

The Cougars lost to Stratford 51-23 on Nov. 3, and their 0-4 start were missteps against Morton Ranch 48-14, Jersey Village 49-24, Mayde Creek 31-21 and Fort Bend Marshall 59-20.

"We were getting to know the players, and they were getting to know us as coaches, along with the new system, and we've come a long, long way since then," Ramsey said. "There's still a long way to go, and we're still learning and trying to improve, and it's nice to have that opportunity in the playoffs."

Tomball junior running back Xavier Powell gained 168 yards on 25 carries, and junior quarterback Drew Reynolds threw for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns while rushing for 99 yards and two scores, in the playoff opener.

"We'll need another great effort in all phases of the game against Angleton," Ramsey said.